Hollywood Cavalcade (1939)
Hollywood Cavalcade Photos
Movie Info
Hollywood Cavalcade was a fictionalized history of silent films and the growth of the movie industry. Don Ameche portrays a character based on equal portions of Mack Sennett and D. W. Griffith, while Alice Faye's silent star is an amalgam of Mabel Normand and Gloria Swanson. Ameche breaks into pictures with slapstick comedies, initiating the first "pie throwing" scene, with Buster Keaton the thrower and Alice Faye the throw-ee. Thanks to Ameche, Faye becomes a major comedy star, appearing in wild Keystone Kops chase comedies. But success goes to Ameche's head, and soon he's staging elaborate Intolerance-like historical spectacles. As Ameche's artistic aspirations climb, his relationship with the faithful Alice deteriorates. She finds solace with her young leading man (Alan Curtis) and becomes a top dramatic star. Having made and lost several fortunes, Ameche talks Alice into appearing in his "comeback" picture, but shortly before filming ends, she and her husband are in a serious auto accident. The husband is killed, and as Faye recuperates, Ameche agonizes over how he'll save his uncompleted masterpiece. He witnesses the premiere of Al Jolson's part-talking The Jazz Singer and decides to risk everything by scrapping his film and remaking it as a talkie. Faye, who's never really stopped loving Ameche, agrees to star in this new project. On a level of accuracy, Hollywood Cavalcade is for the birds, but it scores on its energetic performances and nostalgic appeal. As a bonus, several past movie greats appear in cameos: Al Jolson, Buster Keaton, Mack Sennett, Ben Turpin, Chester Conklin, Jimmy Finlayson, Hank Mann and even Rin Tin Tin Jr.
Cast
Don Ameche
as Mike Connors
as Mike Connors
Alice Faye
as Molly Adair Hayden
as Molly Adair Hayden
J. Edward Bromberg
as Dave Spingold
as Dave Spingold
Alan Curtis
as Nicky Hayden
as Nicky Hayden
Stuart Erwin
as Pete Tinney
as Pete Tinney
Jed Prouty
as Chief of Police
as Chief of Police
Buster Keaton
as Himself
as Himself
Donald Meek
as Lyle P. Stout
as Lyle P. Stout
George Givot
as Claude
as Claude
Eddie Collins
as Keystone Kop
as Keystone Kop
Hank Mann
as Keystone Kop
as Keystone Kop
Heinie Conklin
as Keystone Kop
as Keystone Kop
James Finlayson
as Keystone Kop
as Keystone Kop
Chick Chandler
as Chick, Assistant Director
as Chick, Assistant Director
Russell Hicks
as Roberts
as Roberts
Willie Fung
as Willie
as Willie
Ben Turpin
as Bartender in Western
as Bartender in Western
Chester Conklin
as Sheriff in Western
as Sheriff in Western
Robert Lowery
as Henry Potter
as Henry Potter
Ben Welden
as Agent
as Agent
Paul Stanton
as Filson
as Filson
Mary Forbes
as Mrs. Gaynes
as Mrs. Gaynes
Irving Bacon
as Bakery Clerk
as Bakery Clerk
Marjorie Beebe
as Telephone Operator
as Telephone Operator
Frederick Burton
as Thomas of Famous Players
as Thomas of Famous Players
Lee Duncan
as Himself
as Himself
Mack Sennett
as Himself
as Himself
Rin Tin Tin Jr.
as Rin Tin Tin
as Rin Tin Tin
Al Jolson
as Himself
as Himself
'Snub' Pollard
as Keystone Cop
as Keystone Cop
Fred 'Snowflake' Toones
as Porter
as Porter
Critic Reviews for Hollywood Cavalcade
All Critics (2) | Fresh (2) | Rotten (0)
This is a generous tip of the hat to the dawn of cinema, which should appeal to any movie lover.
November 18, 2008 | Rating: 4/5 | Full Review…
Como curiosidade sobre os bastidores da jovem Hollywood, o filme funciona muito bem. Pena que a história de amor entre Ameche e Faye atrapalhe um pouco.
August 4, 2003 | Rating: 3/5
Audience Reviews for Hollywood Cavalcade
½
Hoary old chestnut in dazzling Technicolor is a thinly veiled account of Mack Sennett"s rise and fall. He was involved in the production in a minor capacity. Alice doesn't even sing.
jay nixon
Super Reviewer
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